PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 21, 2026
Last fall, The Nature Conservancy and Brookfield Renewable announced an agreement for the purchase of the four lowermost dams on the Kennebec River. In the months since, there has been a lot of discussion about The Nature Conservancy’s intention to restore free-flowing conditions to this section of the river and what that might mean for the communities and economy of central Maine. We have seen time and again that where we have healthy rivers, we have healthy communities and healthy economies, and we are confident the same can be true on the Kennebec. The Nature Conservancy and our partners have made clear from the start that we are 100% committed to developing a plan with Sappi to ensure the Somerset Mill’s water system needs are fully addressed as part of any long-term river restoration plan. ~ Kate Dempsey, The Nature Conservancy in Maine